A Body of Doctrinal Divinity 
 
Book 1Chapter 7 
 
OF THE LIFE OF GOD. 
 
Having considered the attributes of Simplicity, Immutability, Infinity, Omnipresence, and Eternity, which belong to God, as an uncreated, infinite, and eternal Spirit; and which distinguish him from all other spirits; I shall now proceed to consider such as belong to him as an active and operative Spirit, as all spirits are, more or less; but he is infinitely so, being "actus, purus, et simplicissimus"; he is all act; and activity supposes life and operations; power, such as God performs, almighty power, or omnipotence; which are the attributes next to be considered; and first his "life". Some think this is not a single perfection of God, but expressive of all the divine perfections: and, indeed, it is his nature and essence, it is himself; and so is every other attribute his nature, under different considerations, and as variously displayed; wherefore this may be treated of as a distinct attribute; and a very eminent and fundamental one it is; by which God exerts his nature and essence, and displays all his perfections. 
And in order to apprehend somewhat of the life of God, for comprehend it we cannot, it may be necessary to consider life in the creatures, what that is; and by rising from the lowest degree of life to an higher, and from that to an higher still, we may form some idea of the life of God, though an inadequate one. Life is a principle in the creature by which it moves itself; what has motion has life, and what has not is without it; as long as a creature has any motion, it is supposed to have life; but when motionless, it is thought to be dead; the phrases, to move, and to have life, are synonymous, and express the same thing; (see Gen. 7:21, 22, 23) but it is not any kind of motion that can lay a claim to life; the sun, moon, and planets move, yet they are inanimate; so a dead carcass may be moved, though it cannot move; it is self-motion only that shows a creature to be alive, that is under a divine agency; for all creatures live and move and have their being in and of God; and hence it is that such who only seem to have self-motion, are, in an improper sense, said to live; as a fountain, flowing with water, is called living, (Gen. 26:19) to which the allusion is in Song of Solomon 4:15; Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:10, and water that is stagnated in pools and lakes, and remains unmoved, is dead. The lowest degree of real life is in vegetables, in herbs, plants, and trees; which are truly said to live (Ezek. 47:7, 9), for though they have not a local motion, yet a motion of growth and increase; they become bigger and larger, and rise up to a greater height, and put forth leaves and fruit; which shows life. In animals there is an higher degree of life; in them there is the breath of life, which is common with the bodies of men, who live the same animal life with them; these are possessed of sensitive powers, of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling; and perform the common functions of life, eating, drinking, walking, &c. But neither of these sorts of life can assist us in our ideas of the life of God; there being nothing in theirs similar to his. There is an higher degree of life still, which is in rational creatures, angels, and the souls of men; by which they are capable not only of operating on bodies, on matter, without them, but of performing acts within themselves, by a self-motion, suitable to their nature as spirits, and rational ones; such as to understand, to will, to choose, and refuse; love, and hate, &c. which may be called the motions of the mind; as the first thoughts of, and inclinations to sin, are called, "motions" (Rom. 7:5). And now these internal acts of the mind, which are good in angels or men, and show a rational life in them, most resemble what is in God; who can, in, and of, and by himself, understand all things, will and decree whatever he pleases; and loves and hates what is agreeable or disagreeable to him, &c. But what comes nearest to the life of God, that we can conceive of, is that which is in regenerated persons, who have a principle of spiritual life, grace, and holiness, implanted in them, by the Spirit of God, and are made partakers of the divine nature, have Christ formed in them; "and they live, yet not they, but Christ lives in them"; and, by having such a principle of life wrought in them, they understand divine and spiritual things; they will that which is spiritually good, and do what is such; the Spirit of God working in them a disposition thereunto, and giving them power to perform; "being in Christ, and created in him unto good works", they perform vital spiritual acts, and live a life, a spiritual holy life, and which is called, "the life of God", unconverted men are strangers to (Eph. 4:18). Now this most resembles the life of God, especially, as it will be perfect and eternal in a future state, though it comes abundantly short of what is in God; every imperfection in the life of angels and men, carried to its greatest height, must be removed from God; and everything that is great and excellent must be ascribed to him; and as infinitely transcending what is in finite creatures. God is life essentially, life eternally, and life efficiently. 
1. God is life "essentially", it is his nature and essence, it is himself, it is in and of himself. The natural life of creatures is not in and of themselves; but is in God, and from him: the spiritual and eternal life of the saints is not in and of themselves; but is from God, "hid with Christ in God". But the life of God is in and of himself; "the Father has life in himself" (John 5:26), and so has the Son and Word of God (John 1:1, 4), and likewise the Spirit, called, therefore, "the spirit of life" (Rev. 11:11), and what is true of all the Persons in the Godhead, they partaking of the same undivided nature and essence, and living the same life, is true of God, essentially considered. And as the life of God is "of himself", it is independent; there is no cause from whence it is, or on which it depends. The natural and spiritual life of men is of God, depends on him; they live not so much their own life as another's; they have their life from God in every sense, and are supported in it by him; "he is thy life, and the length of thy days" (Deut. 30:20). But God lives his own life; which, as it is without a cause, has no dependence on any other. It does not arise from any composition of parts, and the union of them, as the life, even the natural life, of man does, who consists of soul and body; and his life is the result of the union of these, which when dissolved, it ceases; for "the body without", or separate from, "the spirit", or soul, "is dead" (James 2:26). And the spiritual life of saints arises from the union of Christ and his Spirit, as a principle of life unto them; which, could it be dissolved, as it cannot, death would ensue, even death spiritual and eternal: but God is a Spirit, a simple and uncompounded Being; consists not of parts, from the union of which his life arises; and so his life is "infinite", "eternal", and "immutable", as also "most perfect". In the life of creatures, even in the highest degree; being finite and dependant, there is always something wanting; but in God there is none; he is "El-Shaddai", God all-sufficient, blessed and happy in himself for evermore. 
The scriptures frequently speak of God as the "living God" both in the Old and New Testament, (Deut. 5:26; Josh. 3:10; Ps. 42:2, 84:2; Matthew 16:16; 2 Cor. 6:16) who has life in himself, and gives life to all that have it; and not the Father only, but the Son of God also, is called the living God, (Heb 3:12 and the Spirit is called the Spirit of the living God, (2 Cor. 3:3 each person is the living God, and God, essentially considered, is so; and this title and epithet he has in opposition to, and contradistinction from, them that are not by nature God: the living God is opposed to idols, lifeless and motionless, (Jer. 10:10, 15, 16; Acts 14:15; 1 Thess. 1:9) he is distinguished by this essential attribute of his from the first objects of idolatrous worship, the sun, moon, and stars, which are inanimate; from heroes, kings, and emperors, deified after their death; which idolatry was very early; and worshipping them is called eating the sacrifices of the dead (Ps. 106:28), and from all images of wood, stone, brass, silver, and gold, which are dumb idols, and lifeless ones (see Ps. 115:4-7). And God is not only acknowledged to be the living God, and to live for ever and ever, by some of the greatest personages, and proudest monarchs that ever were upon earth, and who even had set up themselves for God, (Dan. 4:34 6:26 but he asserts it of himself, which must be true, and may be depended on; "And lift up my hand, and say, I live for ever", (Deut. 32:40. yea; it is an oath of his affirming the same, and it is the common form of swearing with him, "as I live, saith the Lord"; and which is very frequently used by him (see Num. 14:28) and this is no other than swearing by his life, which is himself; "for when he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself" (Heb 6:13), and so both men and angels swear by the living God; "by him that lives for ever and ever" (Jer. 5:2, 12:16; Dan. 12:7; Rev. 10:5, 6), which distinguishes him from, and prefers him to all other beings: and, indeed, he is "most properly" said to live; the life of creatures is no life in comparison of his; especially the life of man: what is it? "it is but a vapour, that appears for a while, and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). But, 
2. God is life eternally, without beginning, succession, or end; he is without beginning of life or end of days, and without any variableness; "the same today, yesterday and for ever"; he that is the "true God", is also "eternal life" (1 John 5:20). It is indeed said of Christ, the Word and Son of God, that he is the "eternal life", which was with "the Father" from eternity, before "manifested" unto men; and so lives from eternity to eternity; and, as before observed, what is true of God personally, is true of him essentially considered: he lived from eternity, and will live for ever and ever; as several of the above scripture testimonies assure us; and which may be concluded from the "simplicity" of his nature: what consists of parts may be resolved into those parts again, and so cease to be; but God is a simple and uncompounded Being, as has been established; not consisting of parts, and so not capable of being reduced to them, or being dissolved, and therefore must live for ever: and from his "independency"; he has no cause prior to him, from whom he has received his life, or on whom it depends; there is none above him, superior to him, that can take away his life from him, as he can from his creatures, who are below him, and dependent on him; but he is above all, and dependent on none. Likewise from his "immutability"; there is no change, nor shadow of change, in him; and yet, if his life was not eternal, he must be subject to the greatest of changes, death; but he is the same, and of his years there is no end (Ps. 102:27). The same arguments which prove his "eternity", must prove also that he lives for ever; he "is the true God", "the living God, and an everlasting King" (Jer. 10:10), he is called "immortal eternal", (1 Tim. 1:17) the very heathens have such a notion of Deity as immortal; nothing is more common with them than to call their gods, "the immortal ones". God, says Socrates {1}, is, I think, the very species or idea of life, and if anything else is immortal, and confessed by all that he cannot perish. Aristotle {2}, has this remarkable observation, ``The energy, act, or operation of God, is immortality, this is everlasting life; wherefore there must needs be perpetual motion in God.'' 
And he reports {3}, that Alcmaeon supposed that the soul was immortal, because it was like to the immortals. But our God, the true God, is he "who only hath immortality" (1 Tim. 6:16), that is, who hath it in and of himself, and gives it to others. Angels are immortal, they die not; but then this immortality is not of themselves, but of God, who supports and continues them in their being; for as he made them out of nothing, he could, if he would, annihilate them, and bring them to nothing again: the souls of men are immortal; they cannot be killed, nor do they die with their bodies; but then what has been said of angels may be said of them. The bodies of men, after the resurrection, are immortal; this mortal then puts on immortality, and always is clothed with it, and ever continues; but this is the gift of God, and the effect of his will and power; yea, even the bodies of the wicked are immortal, but not of themselves, it is even against their wills; they choose and seek for death, but cannot have it; their torments are endless, and the smoke of them ascends for ever and ever. God only has immortality in and of himself. 
3. God is life "efficiently", the source and spring, the author and giver of life to others; "With thee is the fountain of life", (Ps. 36:9 which he would not be, if he had not life in and of himself, essentially, originally, independently, most properly, and in the most perfect manner. 
God is the author and giver of life, from the lowest to the highest degree of it. The vegetative life that is in herbs, plants, and trees, is from him, and supported by him; and he takes it away, when his Spirit blows upon them (Gen. 1:11,12; Isa. 40:7). The animal life is owing to him; the life of all animals, of the fishes in the sea, the fowl of the air, and the beasts of the field; and he gives them life and breath; and when he takes it away, they die, and return to the dust (Gen. 1:20, 21, 24, 25; Acts 17:25; Ps. 104:29). The rational life in angels and men, is from him; angels are made rational living spirits by him, and in him they consist: to men he grants life and favour, and his visitation preserves their spirit, and he is the God of their life, that gives it, and, continues it, and takes it away at pleasure (Ps. 42:8). No creature can give real life; men may paint to the life, as we say, but they cannot give life: no man can make a living fly; he may as soon make a world. 
The spiritual life that is in any of the sons of men, is from God. Men, in a state of unregeneracy, are dead, dead in a moral and spiritual sense: and while they are corporally alive, they are dead in trespasses and sins; and because of them dead as to their understanding of, will to, affection for what is morally and spiritually good; and their very living in sin is no other than death: nor can they quicken themselves; nothing can give what it has not; the resurrection of the dead, in a corporal sense, requires almighty power; and, in a spiritual sense, the exceeding greatness of God's power; so that it is not by might or power of man, but by the Spirit and Power of the living God. It is God, that of his rich mercy, and because of his great love, and by his almighty power, quickens men dead in sin, dead in law, and exposed unto eternal death; he speaks life into them, when he calls them by his grace, breathes into the dry bones the breath of life, and they live spiritually; a life of justification, through the righteousness of Christ, which is the justification of life, or adjudges and entitles them to eternal life; and a life of faith on Christ, and of holiness from him; they live in newness of life, soberly, righteously, and godly; which life is preserved in them, it springs up to everlasting life; it is hid and secured with Christ in God, is a never dying one, and shall issue in eternal life; in which all the three Persons in the Godhead are concerned (John 5:21, 25, 11:25; Rom. 8:2). 
Eternal life, so often spoken of in scripture, as what the saints shall enjoy for evermore, is of God; it is what he has provided and prepared for them in his council and covenant: what they are foreordained unto in his purposes and decrees, and do most certainly enjoy; what he who cannot lie has promised to them before the world began, and which is his free gift, and flows from his free favour and good will, through Christ, (Acts 13:48; Titus 1:2; Rom. 6:23) and in which the Son and Spirit have a concern; Christ came that his people might have it, and he gave his flesh for the life of them; it is put into his hands, and he has a power to dispose of it, and give it to his sheep; so that none of them shall perish, but have it (1 John 5:12; John 17:2, 10:28). And the Spirit, whose grace springs up to it, and issues in it; and he dwells in his people, as the earnest of it, and works them up for it, and brings them into the full enjoyment of it. Now God must have life in the highest degree of it, as explained; even essentially, originally, infinitely, and perfectly; or he could never give life in every sense unto his creatures; and he must live for ever, to continue eternal life, particularly to his people, and preserve them in it. 
ENDNOTES: 
 
[1] Apud Platon. in Phoedo, p. 79. 
 
[2] De Coelo, l. 2. c. 3. 
 
[3] De Anima, l. 1. c. 2.

A Body of Doctrinal Divinity 
 
Book 1—Chapter 7 
 
OF THE LIFE OF GOD. 
 
Having considered the attributes of Simplicity, Immutability, Infinity, Omnipresence, and Eternity, which belong to God, as an uncreated, infinite, and eternal Spirit; and which distinguish him from all other spirits; I shall now proceed to consider such as belong to him as an active and operative Spirit, as all spirits are, more or less; but he is infinitely so, being "actus, purus, et simplicissimus"; he is all act; and activity supposes life and operations; power, such as God performs, almighty power, or omnipotence; which are the attributes next to be considered; and first his "life". Some think this is not a single perfection of God, but expressive of all the divine perfections: and, indeed, it is his nature and essence, it is himself; and so is every other attribute his nature, under different considerations, and as variously displayed; wherefore this may be treated of as a distinct attribute; and a very eminent and fundamental one it is; by which God exerts his nature and essence, and displays all his perfections. 
And in order to apprehend somewhat of the life of God, for comprehend it we cannot, it may be necessary to consider life in the creatures, what that is; and by rising from the lowest degree of life to an higher, and from that to an higher still, we may form some idea of the life of God, though an inadequate one. Life is a principle in the creature by which it moves itself; what has motion has life, and what has not is without it; as long as a creature has any motion, it is supposed to have life; but when motionless, it is thought to be dead; the phrases, to move, and to have life, are synonymous, and express the same thing; (see Gen. 7:21, 22, 23) but it is not any kind of motion that can lay a claim to life; the sun, moon, and planets move, yet they are inanimate; so a dead carcass may be moved, though it cannot move; it is self-motion only that shows a creature to be alive, that is under a divine agency; for all creatures live and move and have their being in and of God; and hence it is that such who only seem to have self-motion, are, in an improper sense, said to live; as a fountain, flowing with water, is called living, (Gen. 26:19) to which the allusion is in Song of Solomon 4:15; Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:10, and water that is stagnated in pools and lakes, and remains unmoved, is dead. The lowest degree of real life is in vegetables, in herbs, plants, and trees; which are truly said to live (Ezek. 47:7, 9), for though they have not a local motion, yet a motion of growth and increase; they become bigger and larger, and rise up to a greater height, and put forth leaves and fruit; which shows life. In animals there is an higher degree of life; in them there is the breath of life, which is common with the bodies of men, who live the same animal life with them; these are possessed of sensitive powers, of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling; and perform the common functions of life, eating, drinking, walking, &c. But neither of these sorts of life can assist us in our ideas of the life of God; there being nothing in theirs similar to his. There is an higher degree of life still, which is in rational creatures, angels, and the souls of men; by which they are capable not only of operating on bodies, on matter, without them, but of performing acts within themselves, by a self-motion, suitable to their nature as spirits, and rational ones; such as to understand, to will, to choose, and refuse; love, and hate, &c. which may be called the motions of the mind; as the first thoughts of, and inclinations to sin, are called, "motions" (Rom. 7:5). And now these internal acts of the mind, which are good in angels or men, and show a rational life in them, most resemble what is in God; who can, in, and of, and by himself, understand all things, will and decree whatever he pleases; and loves and hates what is agreeable or disagreeable to him, &c. But what comes nearest to the life of God, that we can conceive of, is that which is in regenerated persons, who have a principle of spiritual life, grace, and holiness, implanted in them, by the Spirit of God, and are made partakers of the divine nature, have Christ formed in them; "and they live, yet not they, but Christ lives in them"; and, by having such a principle of life wrought in them, they understand divine and spiritual things; they will that which is spiritually good, and do what is such; the Spirit of God working in them a disposition thereunto, and giving them power to perform; "being in Christ, and created in him unto good works", they perform vital spiritual acts, and live a life, a spiritual holy life, and which is called, "the life of God", unconverted men are strangers to (Eph. 4:18). Now this most resembles the life of God, especially, as it will be perfect and eternal in a future state, though it comes abundantly short of what is in God; every imperfection in the life of angels and men, carried to its greatest height, must be removed from God; and everything that is great and excellent must be ascribed to him; and as infinitely transcending what is in finite creatures. God is life essentially, life eternally, and life efficiently. 
1. God is life "essentially", it is his nature and essence, it is himself, it is in and of himself. The natural life of creatures is not in and of themselves; but is in God, and from him: the spiritual and eternal life of the saints is not in and of themselves; but is from God, "hid with Christ in God". But the life of God is in and of himself; "the Father has life in himself" (John 5:26), and so has the Son and Word of God (John 1:1, 4), and likewise the Spirit, called, therefore, "the spirit of life" (Rev. 11:11), and what is true of all the Persons in the Godhead, they partaking of the same undivided nature and essence, and living the same life, is true of God, essentially considered. And as the life of God is "of himself", it is independent; there is no cause from whence it is, or on which it depends. The natural and spiritual life of men is of God, depends on him; they live not so much their own life as another's; they have their life from God in every sense, and are supported in it by him; "he is thy life, and the length of thy days" (Deut. 30:20). But God lives his own life; which, as it is without a cause, has no dependence on any other. It does not arise from any composition of parts, and the union of them, as the life, even the natural life, of man does, who consists of soul and body; and his life is the result of the union of these, which when dissolved, it ceases; for "the body without", or separate from, "the spirit", or soul, "is dead" (James 2:26). And the spiritual life of saints arises from the union of Christ and his Spirit, as a principle of life unto them; which, could it be dissolved, as it cannot, death would ensue, even death spiritual and eternal: but God is a Spirit, a simple and uncompounded Being; consists not of parts, from the union of which his life arises; and so his life is "infinite", "eternal", and "immutable", as also "most perfect". In the life of creatures, even in the highest degree; being finite and dependant, there is always something wanting; but in God there is none; he is "El-Shaddai", God all-sufficient, blessed and happy in himself for evermore. 
The scriptures frequently speak of God as the "living God" both in the Old and New Testament, (Deut. 5:26; Josh. 3:10; Ps. 42:2, 84:2; Matthew 16:16; 2 Cor. 6:16) who has life in himself, and gives life to all that have it; and not the Father only, but the Son of God also, is called the living God, (Heb 3:12 and the Spirit is called the Spirit of the living God, (2 Cor. 3:3 each person is the living God, and God, essentially considered, is so; and this title and epithet he has in opposition to, and contradistinction from, them that are not by nature God: the living God is opposed to idols, lifeless and motionless, (Jer. 10:10, 15, 16; Acts 14:15; 1 Thess. 1:9) he is distinguished by this essential attribute of his from the first objects of idolatrous worship, the sun, moon, and stars, which are inanimate; from heroes, kings, and emperors, deified after their death; which idolatry was very early; and worshipping them is called eating the sacrifices of the dead (Ps. 106:28), and from all images of wood, stone, brass, silver, and gold, which are dumb idols, and lifeless ones (see Ps. 115:4-7). And God is not only acknowledged to be the living God, and to live for ever and ever, by some of the greatest personages, and proudest monarchs that ever were upon earth, and who even had set up themselves for God, (Dan. 4:34 6:26 but he asserts it of himself, which must be true, and may be depended on; "And lift up my hand, and say, I live for ever", (Deut. 32:40. yea; it is an oath of his affirming the same, and it is the common form of swearing with him, "as I live, saith the Lord"; and which is very frequently used by him (see Num. 14:28) and this is no other than swearing by his life, which is himself; "for when he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself" (Heb 6:13), and so both men and angels swear by the living God; "by him that lives for ever and ever" (Jer. 5:2, 12:16; Dan. 12:7; Rev. 10:5, 6), which distinguishes him from, and prefers him to all other beings: and, indeed, he is "most properly" said to live; the life of creatures is no life in comparison of his; especially the life of man: what is it? "it is but a vapour, that appears for a while, and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). But, 
2. God is life eternally, without beginning, succession, or end; he is without beginning of life or end of days, and without any variableness; "the same today, yesterday and for ever"; he that is the "true God", is also "eternal life" (1 John 5:20). It is indeed said of Christ, the Word and Son of God, that he is the "eternal life", which was with "the Father" from eternity, before "manifested" unto men; and so lives from eternity to eternity; and, as before observed, what is true of God personally, is true of him essentially considered: he lived from eternity, and will live for ever and ever; as several of the above scripture testimonies assure us; and which may be concluded from the "simplicity" of his nature: what consists of parts may be resolved into those parts again, and so cease to be; but God is a simple and uncompounded Being, as has been established; not consisting of parts, and so not capable of being reduced to them, or being dissolved, and therefore must live for ever: and from his "independency"; he has no cause prior to him, from whom he has received his life, or on whom it depends; there is none above him, superior to him, that can take away his life from him, as he can from his creatures, who are below him, and dependent on him; but he is above all, and dependent on none. Likewise from his "immutability"; there is no change, nor shadow of change, in him; and yet, if his life was not eternal, he must be subject to the greatest of changes, death; but he is the same, and of his years there is no end (Ps. 102:27). The same arguments which prove his "eternity", must prove also that he lives for ever; he "is the true God", "the living God, and an everlasting King" (Jer. 10:10), he is called "immortal eternal", (1 Tim. 1:17) the very heathens have such a notion of Deity as immortal; nothing is more common with them than to call their gods, "the immortal ones". God, says Socrates {1}, is, I think, the very species or idea of life, and if anything else is immortal, and confessed by all that he cannot perish. Aristotle {2}, has this remarkable observation, ``The energy, act, or operation of God, is immortality, this is everlasting life; wherefore there must needs be perpetual motion in God.'' 
And he reports {3}, that Alcmaeon supposed that the soul was immortal, because it was like to the immortals. But our God, the true God, is he "who only hath immortality" (1 Tim. 6:16), that is, who hath it in and of himself, and gives it to others. Angels are immortal, they die not; but then this immortality is not of themselves, but of God, who supports and continues them in their being; for as he made them out of nothing, he could, if he would, annihilate them, and bring them to nothing again: the souls of men are immortal; they cannot be killed, nor do they die with their bodies; but then what has been said of angels may be said of them. The bodies of men, after the resurrection, are immortal; this mortal then puts on immortality, and always is clothed with it, and ever continues; but this is the gift of God, and the effect of his will and power; yea, even the bodies of the wicked are immortal, but not of themselves, it is even against their wills; they choose and seek for death, but cannot have it; their torments are endless, and the smoke of them ascends for ever and ever. God only has immortality in and of himself. 
3. God is life "efficiently", the source and spring, the author and giver of life to others; "With thee is the fountain of life", (Ps. 36:9 which he would not be, if he had not life in and of himself, essentially, originally, independently, most properly, and in the most perfect manner. 
God is the author and giver of life, from the lowest to the highest degree of it. The vegetative life that is in herbs, plants, and trees, is from him, and supported by him; and he takes it away, when his Spirit blows upon them (Gen. 1:11,12; Isa. 40:7). The animal life is owing to him; the life of all animals, of the fishes in the sea, the fowl of the air, and the beasts of the field; and he gives them life and breath; and when he takes it away, they die, and return to the dust (Gen. 1:20, 21, 24, 25; Acts 17:25; Ps. 104:29). The rational life in angels and men, is from him; angels are made rational living spirits by him, and in him they consist: to men he grants life and favour, and his visitation preserves their spirit, and he is the God of their life, that gives it, and, continues it, and takes it away at pleasure (Ps. 42:8). No creature can give real life; men may paint to the life, as we say, but they cannot give life: no man can make a living fly; he may as soon make a world. 
The spiritual life that is in any of the sons of men, is from God. Men, in a state of unregeneracy, are dead, dead in a moral and spiritual sense: and while they are corporally alive, they are dead in trespasses and sins; and because of them dead as to their understanding of, will to, affection for what is morally and spiritually good; and their very living in sin is no other than death: nor can they quicken themselves; nothing can give what it has not; the resurrection of the dead, in a corporal sense, requires almighty power; and, in a spiritual sense, the exceeding greatness of God's power; so that it is not by might or power of man, but by the Spirit and Power of the living God. It is God, that of his rich mercy, and because of his great love, and by his almighty power, quickens men dead in sin, dead in law, and exposed unto eternal death; he speaks life into them, when he calls them by his grace, breathes into the dry bones the breath of life, and they live spiritually; a life of justification, through the righteousness of Christ, which is the justification of life, or adjudges and entitles them to eternal life; and a life of faith on Christ, and of holiness from him; they live in newness of life, soberly, righteously, and godly; which life is preserved in them, it springs up to everlasting life; it is hid and secured with Christ in God, is a never dying one, and shall issue in eternal life; in which all the three Persons in the Godhead are concerned (John 5:21, 25, 11:25; Rom. 8:2). 
Eternal life, so often spoken of in scripture, as what the saints shall enjoy for evermore, is of God; it is what he has provided and prepared for them in his council and covenant: what they are foreordained unto in his purposes and decrees, and do most certainly enjoy; what he who cannot lie has promised to them before the world began, and which is his free gift, and flows from his free favour and good will, through Christ, (Acts 13:48; Titus 1:2; Rom. 6:23) and in which the Son and Spirit have a concern; Christ came that his people might have it, and he gave his flesh for the life of them; it is put into his hands, and he has a power to dispose of it, and give it to his sheep; so that none of them shall perish, but have it (1 John 5:12; John 17:2, 10:28). And the Spirit, whose grace springs up to it, and issues in it; and he dwells in his people, as the earnest of it, and works them up for it, and brings them into the full enjoyment of it. Now God must have life in the highest degree of it, as explained; even essentially, originally, infinitely, and perfectly; or he could never give life in every sense unto his creatures; and he must live for ever, to continue eternal life, particularly to his people, and preserve them in it. 
ENDNOTES: 
 
[1] Apud Platon. in Phoedo, p. 79. 
 
[2] De Coelo, l. 2. c. 3. 
 
[3] De Anima, l. 1. c. 2.

A Body of Doctrinal Divinity Book 1—Chapter 7 OF THE LIFE OF GOD. Having considered the attributes of Simplicity, Immutability, Infinity, Omnipresence, and Eternity, which belong to God, as an uncreated, infinite, and eternal Spirit; and which distinguish him from all other spirits; I shall now proc

Of the Life of God.

How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long sha1l mine enemy be exalted over me? 
 
Consider and hear me, 0 Lord my God: lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. 
 
Psalm 13 KJV 
 
To get from the place where God has given us vision, to the place where that vision becomes reality in our lives, we have to pass through a valley where the vision is formed in us...beaten into shape. Many of us have been trying to avoid this valley. The Spirit drives us toward the valley and we dig in our heels. 
 
"Wait a minute Lord! I'm not ready to commit myself to that extent. I love this vision you gave me. Can't I just sit here and ponder it?" 
 
But the vision will never amount to anything in our lives until we commit ourselves to Jesus seriously enough that we're willing to let him take us through a valley where the vision becomes real. 
 
To those who don't want to walk through the valley, there's really nothing more to be said... they'll sit on their mountain top until the vision turns to stone. But for those who are willing to go down into the valley and let God deal with them there it's important to keep remembering that this is the only route that will ever bring vision to fulfillment...and it's worth it. 
 
When Jesus came out of the waters of his baptism he had vision. He saw heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descending on him in the form of a dove. But before that vision could become substance in his life he first had to go through a valley...he was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In that valley, that wilderness, the vision became reality. Then Jesus came out to Israel and, 
 
proclaimed the kingdom, 
healed the sick, 
raised the dead, 
laid down his life and conquered death for us. 
 
Jesus' ministry followed that pattern again and again. Jesus has a vision that it was time to leave Judea for Galilee. To get to Galilee he must go through Samaria, - a valley - a place of rejection. 
 
But in that valley the vision of the Father becomes life as he meets the woman at the well and lifts her into the Father's kingdom. 
 
In the upper room Jesus gives his followers a vision of the glory of the Father's table. When supper is over he takes them into a horrendous valley and they, 
 
- witness his arrest, 
- his phony trial, 
- his crucifixion. 
But in this valley the vision of the kingdom is hammered into shape. Jesus comes forth alive from the dead and leads these followers out of the valley into a life of divine power. 
 
We thank God for the vision that he gives us. Not only the blazing flashes of glory that have come in those rare moments of God's choosing, but also for the vision he gives us in daily life. 
 
- Those insights which are more than insights. 
 
- Those thoughts which suddenly answer our questions and get us moving ..and which we know came from the Lord. 
 
But with every vision comes a valley. Some valleys are brief --- a day or two and we're through ---and the vision has become real in our life. 
 
Some valleys are long -- so long that when we're going through them it seems that they'll never end. And in these long valleys we are often tempted, 
 
- to give up hope, 
 
- throw in the towel, 
 
- to quit doing it God's way and take a short cut. 
 
"Lord, how long do I have to travel this valley and not see your face." 
 
"How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 
 
Our reaction to these valleys, when they stretch out into years, when the darkness bears down on us with such heaviness we can hardly walk, is to start thinking that God is being unfair and to withdraw into ourselves and sulk. Of course, when we withdraw into ourselves and sulk and brood and flirt with despair, all we're doing is making the valley still longer. 
 
1. When the valley gets long and we begin to feel that God is being unfair, the first thing we need to do is tell him how we feel... don't brood. Tell God and keep telling him. 
 
Elijah told him... 
 
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." Then he was afraid, and he arose and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, 0 Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers." I Kings 19:1-4 
 
Elijah knew very well that his thoughts were twisted. But he was humble enough to open his heart and express these twisted thoughts to God. 
 
He headed deeper into the wilderness and came to Mt. Sinai. 
 
And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, only I am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. I Kings 19:9-10 
 
Before Elijah left Mt Sinai God cleared his mind and restored his vision because Elijah wasn't afraid to speak his heart God. 
 
Jeremiah knew what it was to walk through a long valley. Everything began to look absurd and unfair. But Jeremiah didn't withdraw into brooding self-pity. He took his complaint to God. 
 
Righteous art thou 0 Lord, when I complain to thee; yet I would plead my case before thee. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? Thou plantest them, and they take root; they grow and bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth and far from their heart. . But thou, 0 Lord, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my mind toward thee. Jeremiah 12:l-3a 
 
The prophet Habakkuk found himself in a 1ong valley and took his complaint to God. 
 
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear? Or cry to thee, "Violence!" and thou wilt not save? Why dost thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. Thou who art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on wrong, why dost thou look on faithless men, and art silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? Habakkuk l:2,3,l3 
 
He didn't keep grieving in his heart and brooding about his complaint; he opened his mouth and spoke it to God! And we need to do the same. 
 
The worst thing we can do when the valley gets long is to sit in the shadows and sulk. 
 
- Draw near to God! 
- Raise up a cry. 
 
"Oh, but I've been crying to God and nothing's happened." 
 
....keep crying! 
 
"Will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily." Luke 18:7,8 
 
The second thing we need to do when the valley gets long is hang on to the vision. Don't let go of the vision you were given before you entered the valley. 
 
- You saw God's glory...you will see it again. 
 
- You saw God's mercy...you will see it again. 
 
Habakkuk climbs up on the watchtower and says to God, 
 
"I'm going to stand here until you give me some answer." 
 
And the answer he gets is, 
 
"Hold on to the vision." 
 
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by faith. 
Habakkuk 2:1-4 
 
"Write the vision, make it plain upon tablets"....in other words, "hold on to it, it's going to be fulfilled." 
 
Meanwhile, the righteous shall live by faith by hanging onto the vision God has given...even when all hell breaks loose and you have no earthly evidence to support the vision, to still hang on. 
 
"I know that my redeemer lives," 
 
says Job in the middle of his valley. He's hanging on to his vision. 
 
And David walking through his valley says, 
 
"Why art thou cast down 0 my soul. And why art thou disquieted within me. Hope thou in God! For I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God." 
 
3. Finally, when the valley is long, practice the presence of God right there in the valley. Know that God is there...not only is the vision still there, God is there! 
 
The valley will end one day, but the real end of the valley is not when the sun comes out and everything gets rosy. The real end of the valley is when we learn to meet God and commit ourselves to God and walk with God there in the valley in the midst of the haphazard. 
 
Jesus didn't sit there on the edge of the well in Samaria, chew his nails, and cry, 
 
"Will we ever get out of this place?" 
 
Jesus saw the purpose of God where he was. He received the woman who came to the well as sent by his Father, ministered life to her and turned the valley into a place of glory. Jesus turned the valley into a place of glory every time...he did it in Samaria, he did it at Calvary. 
 
Don't sit there and cry in your beer. Turn the valley into a place of glory. Let the vision become substance in your life by holding on to God right there. 
 
Psalm 13 begins with, 
 
"How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord? Forever? 
How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" 
 
It ends five verses later with, 
"I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me." 
 
...he's practicing the presence of God in the valley. 
 
Habakkuk begins his book with, 
 
"0 Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before: and there are that raise up strife and contention." 
but he turns his Valley into glory. Listen to how his book ends. 
 
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be out off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. 
 
How long is this valley? It will be there as long as it's needed. It will be a valley until we turn it into a place of glory by meeting God in the midst of the haphazard, the confusion, the pain. 
 
Whatever our valley is, that valley can be turned into the Banquet Table of God by seeing the Lord there. 
 
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; by cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 
 
Even if nothing has changed yet, 
 
- the fig tree doesn't blossom, 
- no fruit on the vines, 
- the olive trees fail, 
- the fields are barren, 
- the flocks have gone, 
 
"yet will I rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength. He makes my feet like hinds' feet. He makes me to tread upon the high places." 
 
And as we rejoice in God and fix our hearts on his Son Jesus, and on nothing else, we suddenly discover that we've come out into a broad place...the valley is past… the vision is fulfilled. And the life of God begins to pour forth from us for others as never before.

How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long sha1l mine enemy be exalted over me? 
 
Consider and hear me, 0 Lord my God: lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. 
 
Psalm 13 KJV 
 
To get from the place where God has given us vision, to the place where that vision becomes reality in our lives, we have to pass through a valley where the vision is formed in us...beaten into shape. Many of us have been trying to avoid this valley. The Spirit drives us toward the valley and we dig in our heels. 
 
"Wait a minute Lord! I'm not ready to commit myself to that extent. I love this vision you gave me. Can't I just sit here and ponder it?" 
 
But the vision will never amount to anything in our lives until we commit ourselves to Jesus seriously enough that we're willing to let him take us through a valley where the vision becomes real. 
 
To those who don't want to walk through the valley, there's really nothing more to be said... they'll sit on their mountain top until the vision turns to stone. But for those who are willing to go down into the valley and let God deal with them there it's important to keep remembering that this is the only route that will ever bring vision to fulfillment...and it's worth it. 
 
When Jesus came out of the waters of his baptism he had vision. He saw heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descending on him in the form of a dove. But before that vision could become substance in his life he first had to go through a valley...he was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In that valley, that wilderness, the vision became reality. Then Jesus came out to Israel and, 
 
proclaimed the kingdom, 
healed the sick, 
raised the dead, 
laid down his life and conquered death for us. 
 
Jesus' ministry followed that pattern again and again. Jesus has a vision that it was time to leave Judea for Galilee. To get to Galilee he must go through Samaria, - a valley - a place of rejection. 
 
But in that valley the vision of the Father becomes life as he meets the woman at the well and lifts her into the Father's kingdom. 
 
In the upper room Jesus gives his followers a vision of the glory of the Father's table. When supper is over he takes them into a horrendous valley and they, 
 
- witness his arrest, 
- his phony trial, 
- his crucifixion. 
But in this valley the vision of the kingdom is hammered into shape. Jesus comes forth alive from the dead and leads these followers out of the valley into a life of divine power. 
 
We thank God for the vision that he gives us. Not only the blazing flashes of glory that have come in those rare moments of God's choosing, but also for the vision he gives us in daily life. 
 
- Those insights which are more than insights. 
 
- Those thoughts which suddenly answer our questions and get us moving ..and which we know came from the Lord. 
 
But with every vision comes a valley. Some valleys are brief --- a day or two and we're through ---and the vision has become real in our life. 
 
Some valleys are long -- so long that when we're going through them it seems that they'll never end. And in these long valleys we are often tempted, 
 
- to give up hope, 
 
- throw in the towel, 
 
- to quit doing it God's way and take a short cut. 
 
"Lord, how long do I have to travel this valley and not see your face." 
 
"How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 
 
Our reaction to these valleys, when they stretch out into years, when the darkness bears down on us with such heaviness we can hardly walk, is to start thinking that God is being unfair and to withdraw into ourselves and sulk. Of course, when we withdraw into ourselves and sulk and brood and flirt with despair, all we're doing is making the valley still longer. 
 
1. When the valley gets long and we begin to feel that God is being unfair, the first thing we need to do is tell him how we feel... don't brood. Tell God and keep telling him. 
 
Elijah told him... 
 
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." Then he was afraid, and he arose and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, 0 Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers." I Kings 19:1-4 
 
Elijah knew very well that his thoughts were twisted. But he was humble enough to open his heart and express these twisted thoughts to God. 
 
He headed deeper into the wilderness and came to Mt. Sinai. 
 
And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, only I am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. I Kings 19:9-10 
 
Before Elijah left Mt Sinai God cleared his mind and restored his vision because Elijah wasn't afraid to speak his heart God. 
 
Jeremiah knew what it was to walk through a long valley. Everything began to look absurd and unfair. But Jeremiah didn't withdraw into brooding self-pity. He took his complaint to God. 
 
Righteous art thou 0 Lord, when I complain to thee; yet I would plead my case before thee. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? Thou plantest them, and they take root; they grow and bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth and far from their heart. . But thou, 0 Lord, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my mind toward thee. Jeremiah 12:l-3a 
 
The prophet Habakkuk found himself in a 1ong valley and took his complaint to God. 
 
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear? Or cry to thee, "Violence!" and thou wilt not save? Why dost thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. Thou who art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on wrong, why dost thou look on faithless men, and art silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? Habakkuk l:2,3,l3 
 
He didn't keep grieving in his heart and brooding about his complaint; he opened his mouth and spoke it to God! And we need to do the same. 
 
The worst thing we can do when the valley gets long is to sit in the shadows and sulk. 
 
- Draw near to God! 
- Raise up a cry. 
 
"Oh, but I've been crying to God and nothing's happened." 
 
....keep crying! 
 
"Will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily." Luke 18:7,8 
 
The second thing we need to do when the valley gets long is hang on to the vision. Don't let go of the vision you were given before you entered the valley. 
 
- You saw God's glory...you will see it again. 
 
- You saw God's mercy...you will see it again. 
 
Habakkuk climbs up on the watchtower and says to God, 
 
"I'm going to stand here until you give me some answer." 
 
And the answer he gets is, 
 
"Hold on to the vision." 
 
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by faith. 
Habakkuk 2:1-4 
 
"Write the vision, make it plain upon tablets"....in other words, "hold on to it, it's going to be fulfilled." 
 
Meanwhile, the righteous shall live by faith by hanging onto the vision God has given...even when all hell breaks loose and you have no earthly evidence to support the vision, to still hang on. 
 
"I know that my redeemer lives," 
 
says Job in the middle of his valley. He's hanging on to his vision. 
 
And David walking through his valley says, 
 
"Why art thou cast down 0 my soul. And why art thou disquieted within me. Hope thou in God! For I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God." 
 
3. Finally, when the valley is long, practice the presence of God right there in the valley. Know that God is there...not only is the vision still there, God is there! 
 
The valley will end one day, but the real end of the valley is not when the sun comes out and everything gets rosy. The real end of the valley is when we learn to meet God and commit ourselves to God and walk with God there in the valley in the midst of the haphazard. 
 
Jesus didn't sit there on the edge of the well in Samaria, chew his nails, and cry, 
 
"Will we ever get out of this place?" 
 
Jesus saw the purpose of God where he was. He received the woman who came to the well as sent by his Father, ministered life to her and turned the valley into a place of glory. Jesus turned the valley into a place of glory every time...he did it in Samaria, he did it at Calvary. 
 
Don't sit there and cry in your beer. Turn the valley into a place of glory. Let the vision become substance in your life by holding on to God right there. 
 
Psalm 13 begins with, 
 
"How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord? Forever? 
How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" 
 
It ends five verses later with, 
"I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me." 
 
...he's practicing the presence of God in the valley. 
 
Habakkuk begins his book with, 
 
"0 Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before: and there are that raise up strife and contention." 
but he turns his Valley into glory. Listen to how his book ends. 
 
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be out off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. 
 
How long is this valley? It will be there as long as it's needed. It will be a valley until we turn it into a place of glory by meeting God in the midst of the haphazard, the confusion, the pain. 
 
Whatever our valley is, that valley can be turned into the Banquet Table of God by seeing the Lord there. 
 
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; by cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 
 
Even if nothing has changed yet, 
 
- the fig tree doesn't blossom, 
- no fruit on the vines, 
- the olive trees fail, 
- the fields are barren, 
- the flocks have gone, 
 
"yet will I rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength. He makes my feet like hinds' feet. He makes me to tread upon the high places." 
 
And as we rejoice in God and fix our hearts on his Son Jesus, and on nothing else, we suddenly discover that we've come out into a broad place...the valley is past… the vision is fulfilled. And the life of God begins to pour forth from us for others as never before.

How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long sha1l mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, 0 Lord my God: lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death; les

HOW LONG IS THIS VALLEY?

There is a great need in the body of Christ for consistent reading of the Holy Scriptures in their entirety, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. In this case we are encouraging a chronological reading of the Scriptures. Most of the confusion is created when certain teachers, groups, or denominations take singular verses out of context and compare them with others. Though it is a good spiritual principle to compare spiritual truths with spiritual truths,1139 yet this must all be done in the larger context of God’s Word. Therefore we are encouraging all of God’s saints to have a consistent discipline of reading through the whole Scriptures once a year as a supplemental reading plan. 
This plan takes just 10-25 minutes of your day to read through the given chapters. One recommendation is to mark or underline one verse that stood out to you that you can apply into your life or memorize.1140 In your reading, see the person of the Lord Jesus Christ in all the chapters for our Lord said that the Scriptures testified of Him.1141 Learn of the character of God and spend time praying to the Lord what you have learnt. Also, we recommend that believers spend extra time reading through the Book of Acts on an ongoing basis for it is a clear blueprint for the Church and need for the Holy Spirit. 
Lastly, we highly recommend you spend much more time in the Scriptures on your own where the Holy Spirit is leading you to meditate on.1142 Let this plan be a possible solution for you to ensure you are reading through all the Scriptures at least once per year. You can check the boxes * beside each passage as a checklist. 
 
 
1139 1 Corinthians 2:13 
1140 James 1:22, Psalm 119:11 
1141 Luke 24:27 
1142 Psalm 119:15-16 
 
 
 
 
 
READING SCHEDULE 
 
Jan 1: Genesis 1-3 * 
Jan 2: Genesis 4-7 * 
Jan 3: Genesis 8-11 * 
Jan 4: Job 1-5 * 
Jan 5: Job 6-9 * 
Jan 6: Job 10-13 * 
Jan 7: Job 14-16 * 
Jan 8: Job 17-20 * 
Jan 9: Job 21-23 * 
Jan 10: Job 24-28 * 
Jan 11: Job 29-31 * 
Jan 12: Job 32-34 * 
Jan 13: Job 35-37 * 
Jan 14: Job 38-39 * 
Jan 15: Job 40-42 * 
Jan 16: Genesis 12-15 * 
Jan 17: Genesis 16-18 * 
Jan 18: Genesis 19-21 * 
Jan 19: Genesis 22-24 * 
Jan 20: Genesis 25-26 * 
Jan 21: Genesis 27-29 * 
Jan 22: Genesis 30-31 * 
Jan 23: Genesis 32-34 * 
Jan 24: Genesis 35-37 * 
Jan 25: Genesis 38-40 * 
Jan 26: Genesis 41-42 * 
Jan 27: Genesis 43-45 * 
Jan 28: Genesis 46-47 * 
Jan 29: Genesis 48-50 * 
Jan 30: Exodus 1-3 * 
Jan 31: Exodus 4-6 * 
Feb 1: Exodus 7-9 * 
Feb 2: Exodus 10-12 * 
Feb 3: Exodus 13-15 * 
Feb 4: Exodus 16-18 * 
Feb 5: Exodus 19-21 * 
Feb 6: Exodus 22-24 * 
Feb 7: Exodus 25-27 * 
Feb 8: Exodus 28-29 * 
Feb 9: Exodus 30-32 * 
Feb 10: Exodus 33-35 * 
Feb 11: Exodus 36-38 * 
Feb 12: Exodus 39-40 * 
Feb 13: Leviticus 1-4 * 
Feb 14: Leviticus 5-7 * 
Feb 15: Leviticus 8-10 * 
Feb 16: Leviticus 11-13 * 
Feb 17: Leviticus 14-15 * 
Feb 18: Leviticus 16-18 * 
Feb 19: Leviticus 19-21 * 
Feb 20: Leviticus 22-23 * 
Feb 21: Leviticus 24-25 * 
Feb 22: Leviticus 26-27 * 
Feb 23: Numbers 1-2 * 
Feb 24: Numbers 3-4 * 
Feb 25: Numbers 5-6 * 
Feb 26: Numbers 7 * 
Feb 27: Numbers 8-10 * 
Feb 28-29: Numbers 11-13 * 
Mar 1: Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90 * 
Mar 2: Numbers 16-17 * 
Mar 3: Numbers 18-20 * 
Mar 4: Numbers 21-22 * 
Mar 5: Numbers 23-25 * 
Mar 6: Numbers 26-27 * 
Mar 7: Numbers 28-30 * 
Mar 8: Numbers 31-32 * 
Mar 9: Numbers 33-34 * 
Mar 10: Numbers 35-36 * 
Mar 11: Deuteronomy 1-2 * 
Mar 12: Deuteronomy 3-4 * 
Mar 13: Deuteronomy 5-7 * 
Mar 14: Deuteronomy 8-10 * 
Mar 15: Deuteronomy 11-13 * 
Mar 16: Deuteronomy 14-16 * 
Mar 17: Deuteronomy 17-20 * 
Mar 18: Deuteronomy 21-23 * 
Mar 19: Deuteronomy 24-27 * 
Mar 20: Deuteronomy 28-29 * 
Mar 21: Deuteronomy 30-31 * 
Mar 22: Deuteronomy 32-34; Psalm 91 * 
Mar 23: Joshua 1-4 * 
Mar 24: Joshua 5-8 * 
Mar 25: Joshua 9-11 * 
Mar 26: Joshua 12-15 * 
Mar 27: Joshua 16-18 * 
Mar 28: Joshua 19-21 * 
Mar 29: Joshua 22-24 * 
Mar 30: Judges 1-2 * 
Mar 31: Judges 3-5 * 
Apr 1: Judges 6-7 * 
Apr 2: Judges 8-9 * 
Apr 3: Judges 10-12 * 
Apr 4: Judges 13-15 * 
Apr 5: Judges 16-18 * 
Apr 6: Judges 19-21 * 
Apr 7: Ruth * 
Apr 8: 1 Samuel 1-3 * 
Apr 9: 1 Samuel 4-8 * 
Apr 10: 1 Samuel 9-12 * 
Apr 11: 1 Samuel 13-14 * 
Apr 12: 1 Samuel 15-17 * 
Apr 13: 1 Samuel 18-20; Psalms 11, 59 * 
Apr 14: 1 Samuel 21-24 * 
Apr 15: Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52 * 
Apr 16: Psalms 56, 120, 140-142 * 
Apr 17: 1 Samuel 25-27 * 
Apr 18: Psalms 17, 35, 54, 63 * 
Apr 19: 1 Samuel 28-31; Ps 18 * 
Apr 20: Psalms 121, 123-125, 128-130 * 
Apr 21: 2 Samuel 1-4 * 
Apr 22: Psalms 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21 * 
Apr 23: 1 Chronicles 1-2 * 
Apr 24: Psalms 43-45, 49, 84-85, 87 * 
Apr 25: 1 Chronicles 3-5 * 
Apr 26: Psalms 73, 77-78 * 
Apr 27: 1 Chronicles 6 * 
Apr 28: Psalms 81, 88, 92-93 * 
Apr 29: 1 Chronicles 7-10 * 
Apr 30: Psalms 102-104 * 
May 1: 2 Samuel 5:1-10; 1 Chronicles 11-12 * 
May 2: Psalm 133 * 
May 3: Psalms 106-107 * 
May 4: 2 Samuel 5:11-6:23; 1 Chronicles 13-16 * 
May 5: Psalms 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68 * 
May 6: Psalms 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132 * 
May 7: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17 * 
May 8: Psalms 25, 29, 33, 36, 39 * 
May 9: 2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18 * 
May 10: Psalms 50, 53, 60, 75 * 
May 11: 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19; Psalm 20 * 
May 12: Psalms 65-67, 69-70 * 
May 13: 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20 * 
May 14: Psalm 32, 51, 86, 122 * 
May 15: 2 Samuel 13-15 * 
May 16: Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55 * 
May 17: 2 Samuel 16-18 * 
May 18: Psalms 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64 * 
May 19: 2 Samuel 19-21 * 
May 20: Psalms 5, 38, 41-42 * 
May 21: 2 Samuel 22-23; Psalm 57 * 
May 22: Psalms 95, 97-99 * 
May 23: 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Psalm 30 * 
May 24: Psalm 108-110 * 
May 25: 1 Chronicles 23-25 * 
May 26: Psalm 131, 138-139, 143-145 * 
May 27: 1 Chronicles 26-29; Psalm 127 * 
May 28: Psalms 111-118 * 
May 29: 1 Kings 1-2; Psalms 37, 71, 94 * 
May 30: Psalm 119:1-88 * 
May 31: 1 Kings 3-4; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 72 * 
Jun 1: Psalm 119:89-176 * 
Jun 2: Song of Songs * 
Jun 3: Proverbs 1-3 * 
Jun 4: Proverbs 4-6 * 
Jun 5: Proverbs 7-9 * 
Jun 6: Proverbs 10-12 * 
Jun 7: Proverbs 13-15 * 
Jun 8: Proverbs 16-18 * 
Jun 9: Proverbs 19-21 * 
Jun 10: Proverbs 22-24 * 
Jun 11: 1 Kings 5-6; 2 Chronicles 2-3 * 
Jun 12: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4 * 
Jun 13: 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5 * 
Jun 14: 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 136 * 
Jun 15: Psalms 134, 146-150 * 
Jun 16: 1 King 9; 2 Chronicles 8 * 
Jun 17: Proverbs 25-26 * 
Jun 18: Proverbs 27-29 * 
Jun 19: Ecclesiastes 1-6 * 
Jun 20: Ecclesiastes 7-12 * 
Jun 21: 1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9 * 
Jun 22: Proverbs 30-31 * 
Jun 23: 1 Kings 12-14 * 
Jun 24: 2 Chronicles 10-12 * 
Jun 25: 1 Kings 15:1-24; 2 Chronicles 13-16 * 
Jun 26: 1 Kings 15:25-16:34; 2 Chronicles 17 * 
Jun 27: 1 Kings 17-19 * 
Jun 28: 1 Kings 20-21 * 
Jun 29: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18 * 
Jun 30: 2 Chronicles 19-23 * 
Jul 1: Obadiah; Psalms 82-83 * 
Jul 2: 2 Kings 1-4 * 
Jul 3: 2 Kings 5-8 * 
Jul 4: 2 Kings 9-11 * 
Jul 5: 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24 * 
Jul 6: 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25 * 
Jul 7: Jonah * 
Jul 8: 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26 * 
Jul 9: Isaiah 1-4 * 
Jul 10: Isaiah 5-8 * 
Jul 11: Amos 1-5 * 
Jul 12: Amos 6-9 * 
Jul 13: 2 Chronicles 27; Isaiah 9-12 * 
Jul 14: Micah * 
Jul 15: 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16-17 * 
Jul 16: Isaiah 13-17 * 
Jul 17: Isaiah 18-22 * 
Jul 18: Isaiah 23-27 * 
Jul 19: 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31; Psalm 48 * 
Jul 20: Hosea 1-7 * 
Jul 21: Hosea 8-14 * 
Jul 22: Isaiah 28-30 * 
Jul 23: Isaiah 31-34 * 
Jul 24: Isaiah 35-36 * 
Jul 25: Isaiah 37-39; Psalm 76 * 
Jul 26: Isaiah 40-43 * 
Jul 27: Isaiah 44-48 * 
Jul 28: 2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalms 46, 80, 135 * 
Jul 29: Isaiah 49-53 * 
Jul 30: Isaiah 54-58 * 
Jul 31: Isaiah 59-63 * 
Aug 1: Isaiah 64-66 * 
Aug 2: 2 Kings 20-21 * 
Aug 3: 2 Chronicles 32-33 * 
Aug 4: Nahum * 
Aug 5: 2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35 * 
Aug 6: Zephaniah * 
Aug 7: Jeremiah 1-3 * 
Aug 8: Jeremiah 4-6 * 
Aug 9: Jeremiah 7-9 * 
Aug 10: Jeremiah 10-13 * 
Aug 11: Jeremiah 14-17 * 
Aug 12: Jeremiah 18-22 * 
Aug 13: Jeremiah 23-25 * 
Aug 14: Jeremiah 26-29 * 
Aug 15: Jeremiah 30-31 * 
Aug 16: Jeremiah 32-34 * 
Aug 17: Jeremiah 35-37 * 
Aug 18: Jeremiah 38-40; Psalms 74, 79 * 
Aug 19: 2 Kings 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36 * 
Aug 20: Habakkuk * 
Aug 21: Jeremiah 41-45 * 
Aug 22: Jeremiah 46-48 * 
Aug 23: Jeremiah 49-50 * 
Aug 24: Jeremiah 51-52 * 
Aug 25: Lamentations 1:1-3:36 * 
Aug 26: Lamentations 3:37-5:22 * 
Aug 27: Ezekiel 1-4 * 
Aug 28: Ezekiel 5-8 * 
Aug 29: Ezekiel 9-12 * 
Aug 30: Ezekiel 13-15 * 
Aug 31: Ezekiel 16-17 * 
Sep 1: Ezekiel 18-19 * 
Sep 2: Ezekiel 20-21 * 
Sep 3: Ezekiel 22-23 * 
Sep 4: Ezekiel 24-27 * 
Sep 5: Ezekiel 28-31 * 
Sep 6: Ezekiel 32-34 * 
Sep 7: Ezekiel 35-37 * 
Sep 8: Ezekiel 38-39 * 
Sep 9: Ezekiel 40-41 * 
Sep 10: Ezekiel 42-43 * 
Sep 11: Ezekiel 44-45 * 
Sep 12: Ezekiel 46-48 * 
Sep 13: Joel * 
Sep 14: Daniel 1-3 * 
Sep 15: Daniel 4-6 * 
Sep 16: Daniel 7-9 * 
Sep 17: Daniel 10-12 * 
Sep 18: Ezra 1-3 * 
Sep 19: Ezra 4-6; Psalm 137 * 
Sep 20: Haggai * 
Sep 21: Zechariah 1-7 * 
Sep 22: Zechariah 8-14 * 
Sep 23: Esther 1-5 * 
Sep 24: Esther 6-10 * 
Sep 25: Ezra 7-10 * 
Sep 26: Nehemiah 1-5 * 
Sep 27: Nehemiah 6-7 * 
Sep 28: Nehemiah 8-10 * 
Sep 29: Nehemiah 11-13; Psalm 126 * 
Sep 30: Malachi * 
Oct 1: Luke 1; John 1:1-14 * 
Oct 2: Matthew 1; Luke 2:1-38 * 
Oct 3: Matthew 2; Luke 2:39-52 * 
Oct 4: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3 * 
Oct 5: Matthew 4; Luke 4-5; John 1:15-51 * 
Oct 6: John 2-4 * 
Oct 7: Mark 2 * 
Oct 8: John 5 * 
Oct 9: Matthew 12:1-21; Mark 3; Luke 6 * 
Oct 10: Matthew 5-7 * 
Oct 11: Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7 * 
Oct 12: Matthew 11 * 
Oct 13: Matthew 12:22-50 * 
Oct 14: Matthew 13; Luke 8 * 
Oct 15: Matthew 8:14-34; Mark 4-5 * 
Oct 16: Matthew 9-10 * 
Oct 17: Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9:1-17 * 
Oct 18: John 6 * 
Oct 19: Matthew 15; Mark 7 * 
Oct 20: Matthew 16; Mark 8; Luke 9:18-27 * 
Oct 21: Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9:28-62 * 
Oct 22: Matthew 18 * 
Oct 23: John 7-8 * 
Oct 24: John 9:1-10:21 * 
Oct 25: Luke 10-11; John 10:22-42 * 
Oct 26: Luke 12-13 * 
Oct 27: Luke 14-15 * 
Oct 28: Luke 16-17:10 * 
Oct 29: John 11 * 
Oct 30: Luke 17:11-18:14 * 
Oct 31: Matthew 19; Mark 10 * 
Nov 1: Matthew 20-21 * 
Nov 2: Luke 18:15-19:48 * 
Nov 3: Mark 11; John 12 * 
Nov 4: Matthew 22; Mark 12 * 
Nov 5: Matthew 23; Luke 20-21 * 
Nov 6: Mark 13 * 
Nov 7: Matthew 24 * 
Nov 8: Matthew 25 * 
Nov 9: Matthew 26; Mark 14 * 
Nov 10: Luke 22; John 13 * 
Nov 11: John 14-17 * 
Nov 12: Matthew 27; Mark 15 * 
Nov 13: Luke 23; John 18-19 * 
Nov 14: Matthew 28; Mark 16 * 
Nov 15: Luke 24; John 20-21 * 
Nov 16: Acts 1-3 * 
Nov 17: Acts 4-6 * 
Nov 18: Acts 7-8 * 
Nov 19: Acts 9-10 * 
Nov 20: Acts 11-12 * 
Nov 21: Acts 13-14 * 
Nov 22: James * 
Nov 23: Acts 15-16 * 
Nov 24: Galatians 1-3 * 
Nov 25: Galatians 4-6 * 
Nov 26: Acts 17-18:18 * 
Nov 27: 1 Thessalonians; 2 Thessalonians * 
Nov 28: Acts 18:19-19:41 * 
Nov 29: 1 Corinthians 1-4 * 
Nov 30: 1 Corinthians 5-8 * 
Dec 1: 1 Corinthians 9-11 * 
Dec 2: 1 Corinthians 12-14 * 
Dec 3: 1 Corinthians 15-16 * 
Dec 4: 2 Corinthians 1-4 * 
Dec 5: 2 Corinthians 5-9 * 
Dec 6: 2 Corinthians 10-13 * 
Dec 7: Acts 20:1-3; Romans 1-3 * 
Dec 8: Romans 4-7 * 
Dec 9: Romans 8-10 * 
Dec 10: Romans 11-13 * 
Dec 11: Romans 14-16 * 
Dec 12: Acts 20:4-23:35 * 
Dec 13: Acts 24-26 * 
Dec 14: Acts 27-28 * 
Dec 15: Colossians; Philemon * 
Dec 16: Ephesians * 
Dec 17: Philippians * 
Dec 18: 1 Timothy * 
Dec 19: Titus * 
Dec 20: 1 Peter * 
Dec 21: Hebrews 1-6 * 
Dec 22: Hebrews 7-10 * 
Dec 23: Hebrews 11-13 * 
Dec 24: 2 Timothy * 
Dec 25: 2 Peter; Jude * 
Dec 26: 1 John * 
Dec 27: 2 John; 3 John * 
Dec 28: Revelation 1-5 * 
Dec 29: Revelation 6-11 * 
Dec 30: Revelation 12-18 * 
Dec 31: Revelation 19-22 *

There is a great need in the body of Christ for consistent reading of the Holy Scriptures in their entirety, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. In this case we are encouraging a chronological reading of the Scriptures. Most of the confusion is created when certain teachers, groups, or denominations take singular verses out of context and compare them with others. Though it is a good spiritual principle to compare spiritual truths with spiritual truths,1139 yet this must all be done in the larger context of God’s Word. Therefore we are encouraging all of God’s saints to have a consistent discipline of reading through the whole Scriptures once a year as a supplemental reading plan. 
This plan takes just 10-25 minutes of your day to read through the given chapters. One recommendation is to mark or underline one verse that stood out to you that you can apply into your life or memorize.1140 In your reading, see the person of the Lord Jesus Christ in all the chapters for our Lord said that the Scriptures testified of Him.1141 Learn of the character of God and spend time praying to the Lord what you have learnt. Also, we recommend that believers spend extra time reading through the Book of Acts on an ongoing basis for it is a clear blueprint for the Church and need for the Holy Spirit. 
Lastly, we highly recommend you spend much more time in the Scriptures on your own where the Holy Spirit is leading you to meditate on.1142 Let this plan be a possible solution for you to ensure you are reading through all the Scriptures at least once per year. You can check the boxes * beside each passage as a checklist. 
 
 
1139 1 Corinthians 2:13 
1140 James 1:22, Psalm 119:11 
1141 Luke 24:27 
1142 Psalm 119:15-16 
 
 
 
 
 
READING SCHEDULE 
 
Jan 1: Genesis 1-3 * 
Jan 2: Genesis 4-7 * 
Jan 3: Genesis 8-11 * 
Jan 4: Job 1-5 * 
Jan 5: Job 6-9 * 
Jan 6: Job 10-13 * 
Jan 7: Job 14-16 * 
Jan 8: Job 17-20 * 
Jan 9: Job 21-23 * 
Jan 10: Job 24-28 * 
Jan 11: Job 29-31 * 
Jan 12: Job 32-34 * 
Jan 13: Job 35-37 * 
Jan 14: Job 38-39 * 
Jan 15: Job 40-42 * 
Jan 16: Genesis 12-15 * 
Jan 17: Genesis 16-18 * 
Jan 18: Genesis 19-21 * 
Jan 19: Genesis 22-24 * 
Jan 20: Genesis 25-26 * 
Jan 21: Genesis 27-29 * 
Jan 22: Genesis 30-31 * 
Jan 23: Genesis 32-34 * 
Jan 24: Genesis 35-37 * 
Jan 25: Genesis 38-40 * 
Jan 26: Genesis 41-42 * 
Jan 27: Genesis 43-45 * 
Jan 28: Genesis 46-47 * 
Jan 29: Genesis 48-50 * 
Jan 30: Exodus 1-3 * 
Jan 31: Exodus 4-6 * 
Feb 1: Exodus 7-9 * 
Feb 2: Exodus 10-12 * 
Feb 3: Exodus 13-15 * 
Feb 4: Exodus 16-18 * 
Feb 5: Exodus 19-21 * 
Feb 6: Exodus 22-24 * 
Feb 7: Exodus 25-27 * 
Feb 8: Exodus 28-29 * 
Feb 9: Exodus 30-32 * 
Feb 10: Exodus 33-35 * 
Feb 11: Exodus 36-38 * 
Feb 12: Exodus 39-40 * 
Feb 13: Leviticus 1-4 * 
Feb 14: Leviticus 5-7 * 
Feb 15: Leviticus 8-10 * 
Feb 16: Leviticus 11-13 * 
Feb 17: Leviticus 14-15 * 
Feb 18: Leviticus 16-18 * 
Feb 19: Leviticus 19-21 * 
Feb 20: Leviticus 22-23 * 
Feb 21: Leviticus 24-25 * 
Feb 22: Leviticus 26-27 * 
Feb 23: Numbers 1-2 * 
Feb 24: Numbers 3-4 * 
Feb 25: Numbers 5-6 * 
Feb 26: Numbers 7 * 
Feb 27: Numbers 8-10 * 
Feb 28-29: Numbers 11-13 * 
Mar 1: Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90 * 
Mar 2: Numbers 16-17 * 
Mar 3: Numbers 18-20 * 
Mar 4: Numbers 21-22 * 
Mar 5: Numbers 23-25 * 
Mar 6: Numbers 26-27 * 
Mar 7: Numbers 28-30 * 
Mar 8: Numbers 31-32 * 
Mar 9: Numbers 33-34 * 
Mar 10: Numbers 35-36 * 
Mar 11: Deuteronomy 1-2 * 
Mar 12: Deuteronomy 3-4 * 
Mar 13: Deuteronomy 5-7 * 
Mar 14: Deuteronomy 8-10 * 
Mar 15: Deuteronomy 11-13 * 
Mar 16: Deuteronomy 14-16 * 
Mar 17: Deuteronomy 17-20 * 
Mar 18: Deuteronomy 21-23 * 
Mar 19: Deuteronomy 24-27 * 
Mar 20: Deuteronomy 28-29 * 
Mar 21: Deuteronomy 30-31 * 
Mar 22: Deuteronomy 32-34; Psalm 91 * 
Mar 23: Joshua 1-4 * 
Mar 24: Joshua 5-8 * 
Mar 25: Joshua 9-11 * 
Mar 26: Joshua 12-15 * 
Mar 27: Joshua 16-18 * 
Mar 28: Joshua 19-21 * 
Mar 29: Joshua 22-24 * 
Mar 30: Judges 1-2 * 
Mar 31: Judges 3-5 * 
Apr 1: Judges 6-7 * 
Apr 2: Judges 8-9 * 
Apr 3: Judges 10-12 * 
Apr 4: Judges 13-15 * 
Apr 5: Judges 16-18 * 
Apr 6: Judges 19-21 * 
Apr 7: Ruth * 
Apr 8: 1 Samuel 1-3 * 
Apr 9: 1 Samuel 4-8 * 
Apr 10: 1 Samuel 9-12 * 
Apr 11: 1 Samuel 13-14 * 
Apr 12: 1 Samuel 15-17 * 
Apr 13: 1 Samuel 18-20; Psalms 11, 59 * 
Apr 14: 1 Samuel 21-24 * 
Apr 15: Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52 * 
Apr 16: Psalms 56, 120, 140-142 * 
Apr 17: 1 Samuel 25-27 * 
Apr 18: Psalms 17, 35, 54, 63 * 
Apr 19: 1 Samuel 28-31; Ps 18 * 
Apr 20: Psalms 121, 123-125, 128-130 * 
Apr 21: 2 Samuel 1-4 * 
Apr 22: Psalms 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21 * 
Apr 23: 1 Chronicles 1-2 * 
Apr 24: Psalms 43-45, 49, 84-85, 87 * 
Apr 25: 1 Chronicles 3-5 * 
Apr 26: Psalms 73, 77-78 * 
Apr 27: 1 Chronicles 6 * 
Apr 28: Psalms 81, 88, 92-93 * 
Apr 29: 1 Chronicles 7-10 * 
Apr 30: Psalms 102-104 * 
May 1: 2 Samuel 5:1-10; 1 Chronicles 11-12 * 
May 2: Psalm 133 * 
May 3: Psalms 106-107 * 
May 4: 2 Samuel 5:11-6:23; 1 Chronicles 13-16 * 
May 5: Psalms 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68 * 
May 6: Psalms 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132 * 
May 7: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17 * 
May 8: Psalms 25, 29, 33, 36, 39 * 
May 9: 2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18 * 
May 10: Psalms 50, 53, 60, 75 * 
May 11: 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19; Psalm 20 * 
May 12: Psalms 65-67, 69-70 * 
May 13: 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20 * 
May 14: Psalm 32, 51, 86, 122 * 
May 15: 2 Samuel 13-15 * 
May 16: Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55 * 
May 17: 2 Samuel 16-18 * 
May 18: Psalms 26, 40, 58, 61-62, 64 * 
May 19: 2 Samuel 19-21 * 
May 20: Psalms 5, 38, 41-42 * 
May 21: 2 Samuel 22-23; Psalm 57 * 
May 22: Psalms 95, 97-99 * 
May 23: 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Psalm 30 * 
May 24: Psalm 108-110 * 
May 25: 1 Chronicles 23-25 * 
May 26: Psalm 131, 138-139, 143-145 * 
May 27: 1 Chronicles 26-29; Psalm 127 * 
May 28: Psalms 111-118 * 
May 29: 1 Kings 1-2; Psalms 37, 71, 94 * 
May 30: Psalm 119:1-88 * 
May 31: 1 Kings 3-4; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 72 * 
Jun 1: Psalm 119:89-176 * 
Jun 2: Song of Songs * 
Jun 3: Proverbs 1-3 * 
Jun 4: Proverbs 4-6 * 
Jun 5: Proverbs 7-9 * 
Jun 6: Proverbs 10-12 * 
Jun 7: Proverbs 13-15 * 
Jun 8: Proverbs 16-18 * 
Jun 9: Proverbs 19-21 * 
Jun 10: Proverbs 22-24 * 
Jun 11: 1 Kings 5-6; 2 Chronicles 2-3 * 
Jun 12: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4 * 
Jun 13: 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5 * 
Jun 14: 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 136 * 
Jun 15: Psalms 134, 146-150 * 
Jun 16: 1 King 9; 2 Chronicles 8 * 
Jun 17: Proverbs 25-26 * 
Jun 18: Proverbs 27-29 * 
Jun 19: Ecclesiastes 1-6 * 
Jun 20: Ecclesiastes 7-12 * 
Jun 21: 1 Kings 10-11; 2 Chronicles 9 * 
Jun 22: Proverbs 30-31 * 
Jun 23: 1 Kings 12-14 * 
Jun 24: 2 Chronicles 10-12 * 
Jun 25: 1 Kings 15:1-24; 2 Chronicles 13-16 * 
Jun 26: 1 Kings 15:25-16:34; 2 Chronicles 17 * 
Jun 27: 1 Kings 17-19 * 
Jun 28: 1 Kings 20-21 * 
Jun 29: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18 * 
Jun 30: 2 Chronicles 19-23 * 
Jul 1: Obadiah; Psalms 82-83 * 
Jul 2: 2 Kings 1-4 * 
Jul 3: 2 Kings 5-8 * 
Jul 4: 2 Kings 9-11 * 
Jul 5: 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24 * 
Jul 6: 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25 * 
Jul 7: Jonah * 
Jul 8: 2 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 26 * 
Jul 9: Isaiah 1-4 * 
Jul 10: Isaiah 5-8 * 
Jul 11: Amos 1-5 * 
Jul 12: Amos 6-9 * 
Jul 13: 2 Chronicles 27; Isaiah 9-12 * 
Jul 14: Micah * 
Jul 15: 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16-17 * 
Jul 16: Isaiah 13-17 * 
Jul 17: Isaiah 18-22 * 
Jul 18: Isaiah 23-27 * 
Jul 19: 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31; Psalm 48 * 
Jul 20: Hosea 1-7 * 
Jul 21: Hosea 8-14 * 
Jul 22: Isaiah 28-30 * 
Jul 23: Isaiah 31-34 * 
Jul 24: Isaiah 35-36 * 
Jul 25: Isaiah 37-39; Psalm 76 * 
Jul 26: Isaiah 40-43 * 
Jul 27: Isaiah 44-48 * 
Jul 28: 2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalms 46, 80, 135 * 
Jul 29: Isaiah 49-53 * 
Jul 30: Isaiah 54-58 * 
Jul 31: Isaiah 59-63 * 
Aug 1: Isaiah 64-66 * 
Aug 2: 2 Kings 20-21 * 
Aug 3: 2 Chronicles 32-33 * 
Aug 4: Nahum * 
Aug 5: 2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35 * 
Aug 6: Zephaniah * 
Aug 7: Jeremiah 1-3 * 
Aug 8: Jeremiah 4-6 * 
Aug 9: Jeremiah 7-9 * 
Aug 10: Jeremiah 10-13 * 
Aug 11: Jeremiah 14-17 * 
Aug 12: Jeremiah 18-22 * 
Aug 13: Jeremiah 23-25 * 
Aug 14: Jeremiah 26-29 * 
Aug 15: Jeremiah 30-31 * 
Aug 16: Jeremiah 32-34 * 
Aug 17: Jeremiah 35-37 * 
Aug 18: Jeremiah 38-40; Psalms 74, 79 * 
Aug 19: 2 Kings 24-25; 2 Chronicles 36 * 
Aug 20: Habakkuk * 
Aug 21: Jeremiah 41-45 * 
Aug 22: Jeremiah 46-48 * 
Aug 23: Jeremiah 49-50 * 
Aug 24: Jeremiah 51-52 * 
Aug 25: Lamentations 1:1-3:36 * 
Aug 26: Lamentations 3:37-5:22 * 
Aug 27: Ezekiel 1-4 * 
Aug 28: Ezekiel 5-8 * 
Aug 29: Ezekiel 9-12 * 
Aug 30: Ezekiel 13-15 * 
Aug 31: Ezekiel 16-17 * 
Sep 1: Ezekiel 18-19 * 
Sep 2: Ezekiel 20-21 * 
Sep 3: Ezekiel 22-23 * 
Sep 4: Ezekiel 24-27 * 
Sep 5: Ezekiel 28-31 * 
Sep 6: Ezekiel 32-34 * 
Sep 7: Ezekiel 35-37 * 
Sep 8: Ezekiel 38-39 * 
Sep 9: Ezekiel 40-41 * 
Sep 10: Ezekiel 42-43 * 
Sep 11: Ezekiel 44-45 * 
Sep 12: Ezekiel 46-48 * 
Sep 13: Joel * 
Sep 14: Daniel 1-3 * 
Sep 15: Daniel 4-6 * 
Sep 16: Daniel 7-9 * 
Sep 17: Daniel 10-12 * 
Sep 18: Ezra 1-3 * 
Sep 19: Ezra 4-6; Psalm 137 * 
Sep 20: Haggai * 
Sep 21: Zechariah 1-7 * 
Sep 22: Zechariah 8-14 * 
Sep 23: Esther 1-5 * 
Sep 24: Esther 6-10 * 
Sep 25: Ezra 7-10 * 
Sep 26: Nehemiah 1-5 * 
Sep 27: Nehemiah 6-7 * 
Sep 28: Nehemiah 8-10 * 
Sep 29: Nehemiah 11-13; Psalm 126 * 
Sep 30: Malachi * 
Oct 1: Luke 1; John 1:1-14 * 
Oct 2: Matthew 1; Luke 2:1-38 * 
Oct 3: Matthew 2; Luke 2:39-52 * 
Oct 4: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3 * 
Oct 5: Matthew 4; Luke 4-5; John 1:15-51 * 
Oct 6: John 2-4 * 
Oct 7: Mark 2 * 
Oct 8: John 5 * 
Oct 9: Matthew 12:1-21; Mark 3; Luke 6 * 
Oct 10: Matthew 5-7 * 
Oct 11: Matthew 8:1-13; Luke 7 * 
Oct 12: Matthew 11 * 
Oct 13: Matthew 12:22-50 * 
Oct 14: Matthew 13; Luke 8 * 
Oct 15: Matthew 8:14-34; Mark 4-5 * 
Oct 16: Matthew 9-10 * 
Oct 17: Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9:1-17 * 
Oct 18: John 6 * 
Oct 19: Matthew 15; Mark 7 * 
Oct 20: Matthew 16; Mark 8; Luke 9:18-27 * 
Oct 21: Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9:28-62 * 
Oct 22: Matthew 18 * 
Oct 23: John 7-8 * 
Oct 24: John 9:1-10:21 * 
Oct 25: Luke 10-11; John 10:22-42 * 
Oct 26: Luke 12-13 * 
Oct 27: Luke 14-15 * 
Oct 28: Luke 16-17:10 * 
Oct 29: John 11 * 
Oct 30: Luke 17:11-18:14 * 
Oct 31: Matthew 19; Mark 10 * 
Nov 1: Matthew 20-21 * 
Nov 2: Luke 18:15-19:48 * 
Nov 3: Mark 11; John 12 * 
Nov 4: Matthew 22; Mark 12 * 
Nov 5: Matthew 23; Luke 20-21 * 
Nov 6: Mark 13 * 
Nov 7: Matthew 24 * 
Nov 8: Matthew 25 * 
Nov 9: Matthew 26; Mark 14 * 
Nov 10: Luke 22; John 13 * 
Nov 11: John 14-17 * 
Nov 12: Matthew 27; Mark 15 * 
Nov 13: Luke 23; John 18-19 * 
Nov 14: Matthew 28; Mark 16 * 
Nov 15: Luke 24; John 20-21 * 
Nov 16: Acts 1-3 * 
Nov 17: Acts 4-6 * 
Nov 18: Acts 7-8 * 
Nov 19: Acts 9-10 * 
Nov 20: Acts 11-12 * 
Nov 21: Acts 13-14 * 
Nov 22: James * 
Nov 23: Acts 15-16 * 
Nov 24: Galatians 1-3 * 
Nov 25: Galatians 4-6 * 
Nov 26: Acts 17-18:18 * 
Nov 27: 1 Thessalonians; 2 Thessalonians * 
Nov 28: Acts 18:19-19:41 * 
Nov 29: 1 Corinthians 1-4 * 
Nov 30: 1 Corinthians 5-8 * 
Dec 1: 1 Corinthians 9-11 * 
Dec 2: 1 Corinthians 12-14 * 
Dec 3: 1 Corinthians 15-16 * 
Dec 4: 2 Corinthians 1-4 * 
Dec 5: 2 Corinthians 5-9 * 
Dec 6: 2 Corinthians 10-13 * 
Dec 7: Acts 20:1-3; Romans 1-3 * 
Dec 8: Romans 4-7 * 
Dec 9: Romans 8-10 * 
Dec 10: Romans 11-13 * 
Dec 11: Romans 14-16 * 
Dec 12: Acts 20:4-23:35 * 
Dec 13: Acts 24-26 * 
Dec 14: Acts 27-28 * 
Dec 15: Colossians; Philemon * 
Dec 16: Ephesians * 
Dec 17: Philippians * 
Dec 18: 1 Timothy * 
Dec 19: Titus * 
Dec 20: 1 Peter * 
Dec 21: Hebrews 1-6 * 
Dec 22: Hebrews 7-10 * 
Dec 23: Hebrews 11-13 * 
Dec 24: 2 Timothy * 
Dec 25: 2 Peter; Jude * 
Dec 26: 1 John * 
Dec 27: 2 John; 3 John * 
Dec 28: Revelation 1-5 * 
Dec 29: Revelation 6-11 * 
Dec 30: Revelation 12-18 * 
Dec 31: Revelation 19-22 *

There is a great need in the body of Christ for consistent reading of the Holy Scriptures in their entirety, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. In this case we are encouraging a chronological reading of the Scriptures. Most of the confusion is created when certain teachers, groups, or

76 - Chronological Bible Reading of Scriptures

Living (2198) (zao) refers literally to natural physical life (opposite of death, Acts 22:22, 25:24, 28:4, Ro 7:1-3, 1Cor 7:39, of Adam = 1Cor 15:45; 2Cor 4:11 = refers to natural lives of believers; Php 1:22 - "to live on in the [physical] flesh"; 1Th 4:15,17 = believers physically alive at time of

Live (verb, living, alive) (2198) zao

Teach (1321) (didasko from dáo= know or teach; English = didactic; see study of related noun didaskalia and the adjective didaktikos) means to provide instruction or information in a formal or informal setting. In the 97 NT uses of didasko the meaning is virtually always to teach or instruct, althou

Teach (teaching, taught) (1321) didasko

The Final Judgment, or The World Judged Righteously by Jesus Christ Jonathan Edwards , 1703-1758 "Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained." Acts 17:31 INTRODUCTION God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world 

Jeremiah 12:16 WEB

Of the Life of God.

HOW LONG IS THIS VALLEY?

76 - Chronological Bible Reading of Scriptures

Live (verb, living, alive) (2198) zao

Teach (teaching, taught) (1321) didasko

The Final Judgment, Or The World Judged Righteously By Jesus Christ

Group of Brands